Cheaters don't lie
by pleasingXapparel
Summary: They'd gotten caught. She'd gotten heartbroken. He'd found her. Everything was about to change. But was it for the good? a lot better then it sounds! R&R
1. Chapter 1

Cheaters don't lie

PERSEPHONE'S POV

How could they do that to her? Really! Yeah, sure she never really loved Hades but he didn't have to go that far! The scene kept replaying itself in her mind as she stormed through the Underworld, looking for the exit, tears streaming down her pale face.

FLASHBACK

Persephone wandered through the halls of the Underworld, searching for her Lord Hades. She couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, she went to his bedroom and that's when she saw them.

Hades had his arms around Demeter, holding her close, his chin resting on top of her head.

Persephone froze. What was her husband doing with her mother? She hid behind the wall and peeked into the room. Neither Hades nor Demeter noticed her.

"I love you." She heard Demeter say.

"I know you do. And I love you too." Hades replied, lovingly. Persephone had never heard him use that voice, especially not with her. She clutched her throat and waited in suspenseful agony to hear what Demeter would say. Surely her mother was just kidding, right? Right?

_Oh, please say you're joking, mother!_ She begged.

Demeter sighed. "Persephone can't know."

Hades answered, "I know. It pains me to keep secrets from her but it isn't working with her. I could never feel the same about her as I do with you."

"But she is my daughter. I cannot bear to hurt her."

_Yeah, well then why are you with my husband? _Persephone thought bitterly.

"I love that you are so caring." Hades smiled down at Demeter and…kissed her. On the lips.

Persephone's stomach did a 360 degree flip and she gasped so loud that Demeter pulled slightly away from Hades, allowing his lips to trail down her neck in a pattern of kisses. She looked through heavy lidded eyes at Persephone until she realized who she was. "OH!" Demeter gasped, pulling fully away from Hades.

"What is it, love?" Hades asked, confused. His eyes followed hers and saw Persephone standing right in front of them. He quickly let go of Demeter's waist and blushed. "Persephone…It's not what it looks like!"

"Oh, really? Because it looks like you're cheating on me with my mother, of all people! Why?" she turned to her mother with tears in her eyes. "Why?" she repeated, her voice hoarse.

Demeter took a step towards her with a hand outstretched. "Honey-"

But she didn't get to finish because Persephone screamed, "I HATE YOU!" she whirled around and raced down the hall. Away from the secrets and lies. Away from everything she loved.

END OF FLASHBACK

She realized now, walking quickly passed Elysium, that she should have known. There had been hints, staring her straight in the face. The running off from work to secret meetings. The distant looks, the vague answers. They had all been there, she had just been too blind to see it.

Persephone furiously wiped her face and exited the Underworld (it was springtime). She stomped past the Hollywood sign, and just walked. Then ran. She ran until she couldn't run anymore and collapsed in a patch of flowers. She hadn't even noticed that her feet had taken her to a meadow.

She gently touched the soft petals of a tulip, but as soon as her fingers brushed it, it shriveled up and died. She moaned and fell back onto the soft grass. And she wept. She curled up in a ball, clutching the dead, brown flower in her hand.

That was how she was when Apollo found her.

DUNDUNDUN! R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

APOLLO'S POV

I hadn't meant to find her. I had been running away from Artemis because I called her boyfriend cheap and she started chasing me with her bow and arrow. I know I'm the god of medicine but that doesn't mean I like to get hit with sharp pointy things!

Anyways, after I called Hermes cheap I fled. I'm not a coward or anything, but I don't really like facing my sister's wrath. You wouldn't either.

So there I was, wandering through a random meadow, muttering to myself, when I spotted her. I could tell it was Persephone right away, with her long black hair, her pale skin, and her white dress with flower petals on it. I noticed, also, that she was crying.

What she was doing balling her eyes out in a flower patch, I don't know. I quickly looked behind me to see if a furious Artemis was still on my trail. It's quite funny, seeing my sis in a rage. Her face gets all red and she splutters a lot before she finally gives up on words and goes to violence. Ares would be proud of her, I think.

Having seen no sign of her, I picked my way through the bees buzzing around the flowers towards Persephone.

I must have been loud because before I even got to her, she lifted her head to see who was coming towards her.

And she was beautiful.

I mean, don't get me wrong, Persephone had always been beautiful in my opinion but, laying there with her dress splayed out like that and her cheeks wet from tears, her eyes big like a doe's…well, let's just say my heart almost stopped beating.

Persephone wiped a hand across her face to erase the tears. "Hi." Her voice was stuffy from crying.

"Hey…what're you doing here?" I asked.

Persephone looked away. "Um...just…just admiring the pretty flowers." Her voice cracked on the last word.

I raised an eyebrow. "By laying on the ground clutching a dead flower and balling your eyes out? Hell of a way to admire something, in my opinion."

She glared at me. I grinned. "So, you wanna tell me what's really going on?"

"It's none of your business, Apollo. Just go away and leave me in peace." She sniffed, kinda snotty like.

"Sorry, can't do that." I replied, planting myself next to her.

Once gain she glared at me. I seem to have that effect on people a lot. We sat in silence for a minute before she whispered, "Hades cheated on me."

I glanced at her in shock. "Huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Idiot." She breathed, but I still heard her.

Ignoring the comment, I asked, "What do you mean, cheated on you?"

"I mean cheating on me as in loving another woman. And you wanna know the irony of it?"

I blinked.

"It was with my mother." She said.

"DEMETER? And HADES?" I exclaimed. She nodded and laughed bitterly.

"I knew he never loved me. I suspected something like this but I didn't actually think it would happen!" then the tears started flowing again. And there was no way to stop them.

She put her face in her hands and cried. "I j-just don't k-know why he w-would do this to m-me. I wasn't that b-bad a wife, was I?"

My heart ached for her. Before I knew what I was doing, I moved to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's gonna be okay, Persephone." I whispered, reassuringly. She put her head on my shoulder and leaned into me.

"And m-my own m-mother! H-how could she do that? I thought she l-loved me!" She sobbed.

"She does love you, Persephone. She's your mother. Of course she loves you." I soothed her, or tried to anyway. I don't think I did any good because she couldn't even talk anymore, she was crying so hard.

"Let it out, let it out. That's it." I kept repeating those words and reassurance to her as she cried and rubbed her back.

Finally after 15 minutes, her tears dried up enough for her to speak again. "I hate her. I n-never wanna see her again!"

She pulled away from me and stared off into the distance, tears silently running down her cheeks. I felt so sorry for her. Then I felt a rage like none I'd ever felt before. How could Hades do that to her? How dare he! And her mother! She was her daughter for Zeus's sake! How could they hurt her like that? It made me want to get back at them. To hurt them for what they did to Persephone.

Tentatively, I reached out and touched her on the arm. Persephone jumped and glanced at me, her eyes big and scared, pleading with me help her. "Persephone, why don't you come back to my palace? You can stay there until you get back on your feet."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to make a move on me, Apollo?" now her eyes looked dangerous.

I stared at her in disbelief. That thought hadn't even crossed my mind. Since I'd felt that angry animal inside me roar in rage, I'd only wanted to help her. Not try to get in bed with her. "N-no, Persephone. I only want to help."

She visibly relaxed. She sighed wearily. "I would like that, yes. I shall come with you."

"Great!" I leaped to my feet and helped her up. "This way, fair maiden." I started leading her out of the meadow.

"Apollo?" she murmured, stopping a few feet behind me.

I turned to look at her curiously. "Yes?"

"Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, last chapter I said the Artemis's boyfriend was Hermes and some people didn't like that. You know what I say to that? Get over it. It's my story and I can make it however I want. Anyway, I put them together because of my friend GazmRules who is a daughter of Hermes and Artemis. Who can resist Hermes? So, that's it, I just wanted to say that, once again, it is my story and I can make it however I want. Oh, but thanks to everyone, even those who I'm talking about, for reviewing. It really means a lot to me and I really want to hear your opinions. On with the story!

Sing me a song So I can sway Through the air so

_ Gracefully._

_Play me a tune_

_ So I can hear_

_What your heart is_

_ Saying._

_Love me forever_

_ So I can live_

_In your arms so_

_ Contentedly._

_Stay by my side_

_ So I can see_

_What your eyes are_

_ Saying._

_Stay with me forever_

_ So I can know_

_If what we have is_

_ Real._

PERSEPHONE'S POV

Apollo was getting on her last nerve. Yes, she had been grateful for everything he had done: comforting her, letting her stay with him, exc. Plus it had only been two days. But that was more then enough for Persephone who, wouldn't you know, had a very low tolerance for stupidity. And Apollo's palace reeked of it.

From the moment they had stepped into the bright palace, he had become his usual arrogant, obnoxious, idiot self.

"I'm not one to brag," Apollo had stated when he opened the door.

Sure.

"But even I have to say my palace is quiet magnificent, don't you think?"

Persephone'd looked around. Okay, she gave him that much. It WAS quiet magnificent. Stunning even.

They were only on the first floor and in the main room, but she had still given a small gasp of awe. Huge windows were on every wall, letting sunlight stream in through the glass, lighting up the big glass chandelier that hung from the high ceiling. Why Apollo would need lamps and stuff when the sun never set at his palace, only he himself knew.

There were about five different doors and a humongous winding staircase with gold handrails. She wondered how far up it went.

"So, what do you think?" Apollo asked, grinning and hopping lightly one his toes.

Persephone made her face blank, expressionless. She gave a shrug as if to say _it's all right_. "Nothing special."

Apollo's grin widened. "That's because this is only the first floor. And you have to see the garden. It's HUGE!"

Persephone faked a yawn. "Well, honestly, I'm kind of tired. Do you mind if I take a nap?"

Apollo's smile faded. "Oh. Um, sure. There are a dozen guest rooms upstairs. You may choose one of them." And with that he turned and stalked away, as if she'd somehow hurt his pride by not wanting to see the rest of the palace.

Now, lying on her queen bed with a pale green quilt and flowers on the pillows, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

_Humph. _She thought to herself, remembering the incident of just now when she had spilt milk on the cloth sofa. _It's not like I meant to do it. It slipped from my hand! He didn't have to throw a fit about it. He has a thousand more chairs just like it, for goodness sake!_

And he did. But he still had to throw a tantrum like a two-year old mortal child.

So that, combined with a numerous of petty arguments, is why her patience was wearing thin. Really thin. She even considered packing up her bags and leaving. But she wouldn't do that. She _couldn't _do that. Not after all the hospitality (along with some moronic-ness) and kindness he'd shone her.

_Just suck it up. _She told herself. _It's the only place to stay right now. _

_But I can't stand him!_

_ Yes, you can._

_No, I can't._

_ Yes._

_No. _

_ Yes!_

_No! _

_You have feelings for him. Admit it._

_No, I don't!_

_Uh-huh._

This was ridiculous. She was arguing with herself for Zeus's sake! She shook her head to clear the irrational thoughts and pushed herself off of the bed. She left the room to go apologize to Apollo for the milk incident.

As she left, a lonely thought echoed in her head.

_You have feelings for him…_

No. She felt nothing for Apollo except grateful. Nothing else. NOTHING.

…or did she?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

We were eating a dinner of tacos (yuuuuuuum) when it happened.

There I was, devouring my food as if I'd been starving and gulping down soda as if my life depended on it, while Persephone daintily took delicate bites. She had a thoughtful expression on her perfect face as I was drowning my drink, my throat feeling very parched.

"Hades sent for me today." She said suddenly, out of nowhere.

I choked on my soda and started coughing, hacking is the more proper word, I suppose.

"Oh goodness, are you okay?" Persephone exclaimed, rising from her chair to help.

I waved my hand in a gesture to tell her to sit. "W-what…" I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "What do you mean…Hades called?" I felt better now, but I moved the glass as far from me as possible. I wasn't even going to touch that thing while we had this conversation, for safety precautions.

She put her fair hands into her lap and stared down at her feet. "Well…Hermes came by today while you were out doing you business, you know your movie thing. I asked him what he wanted and he said Hades sent him to tell me that he wanted me to come back down to the Underworld. He apparently told Hermes to tell me that he was so very sorry."

"And you believed him?" I demanded.

She looked offended. "Of course not! I'm not stupid. Anyway, Hermes told me that Hades wanted to meet me tomorrow in the Underworld. He said he wanted to apologize."

"B-but you're not actually going to _go_ are you?" I scoffed in disbelief.

Persephone gazed at me and I noticed how her eyes twinkled and shone even though she was frowning upon me. "I have to, Apollo."

I shook my head, feeling anger start to build up inside me. "No, you don't Persephone! How do you know he won't just use this as another opportunity to hurt you?" I cried in exasperation. "You _don't_ know. How do you know what to expect down there?"

She glared at me. Her eyes weren't twinkling now; oh no, now they were burning with green fire. "You don't understand."

"Then _please_ explain why you want to risk yourself, your own emotions, to get an apology that isn't even sincere from the most untrustworthy, horrific, atrocious god there is?" I snapped.

"Why do you care so much anyway, Apollo? I thought you'd like me to leave. I thought you hated having me here." She retorted, leaping to her feet.

I stood. "Stop putting words in my mouth! I never said, never thought, such a thing! Why would you think that?" I was almost shouting now. But then again so was she.

Persephone put her hands on her hips. "oh, I don't know, maybe because of the fact that you seem annoyed at everything little thing I do. 'What do you want for dinner?' 'Oh, I don't care' 'fine, leave me to make all the decisions'!" She mimicked the earlier confrontation bitterly.

I scowled. "Big deal, that doesn't prove anything."

"Like hell it does!" She yelled.

"Fine!" I shouted. "Go, run away back to your _precious _Lord. See if I care! '_Hades is SO handsome, SO muscular! Who cares if he cheated on me, who cares if he broke my heart? Just as long as he's good looking he can do whatever he wants. He can go cheat on me with hundreds of other women, all my other friends, as long as he loves me dearest!'_ Well, I've got news for you Persephone: _he doesn't love you_! Never has, never will so get over it and move on woman!"

Persephone clenched her fists and stormed toward me. Before I could even raise a hand to defend myself, she backhanded me across the cheek. It stung like hell. I held my tender cheek and glared at her. Oh, she was gonna get it now.

Her smug look was soon erased as I grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms behind her back in one swift movement. She cried out, in shock more then pain, and kicked me in the shin. I cursed and grasped a lock of her hair and pulled.

"OW!" She yelled and swung around punch me in the gut.

"Shit!" I groaned, hunched over.

She pulled away and kicked me where it hurts. I toppled to the floor in pain. Damn, that woman knew how to fight!

She looked her nose down at me. "You know, for a guy that brags about beating people up, you sure suck at fighting. A girl just whopped your butt, Ares would be disgusted. But then again, we all are." She turned away from me as if to leave.

I snapped. There was no way she was going to leave, satisfied at having kicked my ass. I lashed out with my foot and caught her ankle. "AH!" With a yelp she fell to the ground, startled. I made my move.

Lunging forward I grabbed her flailing wrists and pulled them over her head. One of her feet caught my back and I grunted at the pain. I straddled her and with my weight overpowering hers, she stopped struggling. We were both panting from the fight.

My voice came out a gasp. "Don't…start a fight you…can't win."

Persephone scowled and spat at me.

I grabbed her hair in my fist and forced her to look at me. "Stop it." I growled.

"Let me go!" She screamed.

"No. Not until I know you've calmed down enough that you won't do anything irrational." I said firmly.

She snorted. "I don't do anything irrational Apollo."

"Oh really, then what was that fight you started all about?"

"Oh, you know you deserved that! You just wouldn't shut your big stupid mouth and so I did something about it. Explain how that is irrational."

I stared at her. "You are the most stubborn person I've ever met, you know that?"

She almost smiled. Almost. "You are the most arrogant, I've ever met."

I gazed at her, and she stared me in the eyes. It was then I noticed our positions. I was straddling her hips and we were only inches apart, so close our lips were almost touching. Wow. How'd that happen? I knew it should be awkward but my heart was beating so fast and she looked so good right then. My breathing grew shallower and I could see her breathing become hitched as well. My lust to kiss her, to ravish her right then was almost overpowering. I could tell she felt the same.

"Arrogant, huh?" I whispered huskily.

"Yeah." Her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. "Really obnoxious and stupid."

I leaned closer. "Is that so? Well, do you like to see the other side of me?"

"I don't know." She smiled sexily. "Do you want me to?"

"I've been wanting to show you for a long time." I could barely think. Something, a little voice in the back of my mind, urged me not to do this, telling me I shouldn't, that this was totally and completely out of proportion. But I wanted to. Oh I how I wanted to.

Forgetting everything, all coherent thought, I closed the space between us.

God, her lips were perfect! So moist and soft. And wait. Was she kissing me back? Oh good god she was! I let her wrists loose and cupped her face tenderly. Her hands moved up to pull me closer.

I let my hands roams down her delicate curves and soft skin, emitting a small moan of pleasure from her. This was it! Finally after so many years we were finally going to-

That's when the doorbell rang.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

There were few times Persephone was caught off guard. In the Underworld, she hadn't had to really keep her guard up. Everyone-well, all the souls-listened to her. They regarded her with respect, awe and fear. She'd always got what she wanted with Hades…well, almost everything. And then when she would come up to the real world with the sun and springtime, she always kept herself impassive. She kept her face blank most of the time except with nature, showing nothing, giving no indication of what she could possibly be thinking.

Holding herself with a dignified air, head raised high, walking gracefully. Persephone was not someone you messed with and got away with it. She may not have been Athena with her uncanny wisdom or Ares with his brute strength, but she was just as deadly in her own way. She rarely showed her gentle side, hardly anybody even suspecting she had one. She was always serious and expressionless except for an occasional dry remark and a ghost of a smile crossing her pale features.

My point being, she rarely, if any time (and that's a big if), let her guard drop.

This was one of those times.

For her at first, she found their situation actually quite comical. Who would've thought that Apollo would be holding down Persephone, of all people, on his palace floor? If someone had told her an hour ago-no, five minutes ago-that she'd be underneath Apollo in this awkward position, she would've laughed harshly and then made that foolish being suffer for even thinking that she would ever be reduced to being in that situation. That would be low.

And yet here she was, trapped underneath Apollo's body. And what a body it was.

How could she have never noticed it before? His lean form had muscle, which, she admired, made the fitting light blue t-shirt he was wearing cling to his chest. The jeans he had on looked a designer brand of some sort. Boy did they look good on him. Her eyes roamed all over his perfect body, finally moving to his face; those high cheekbones, that sandy blond hair that hung barely over his eyes. Those eyes. Good lord. Persephone didn't know how much more she could handle.

Those stormy blue irises gazed at her in a way that made her shiver. His eyes stared into hers, and she felt as if he were seeing into her soul. Impossible of course, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was looking into the core of her being…and liking what he saw.

Her breath grew ragged. What was going on? She'd never felt anything like this about him before! She admitted at times he was good-looking but Persephone had never felt these feelings before. Never for anything or anyone, to be perfectly honest.

They were alien. Foreign. Unnatural. Swirling inside her, consuming all coherent thought.

Randomly, she suddenly remembered a song from _The Phantom of the Opera _she'd recently watched (and cried over). It was the singing part with the Phantom and Christine: _'Past the point of no return'_. WTF? The words of a stanza echoed in her mind for a reason she couldn't quite comprehend.

_Past the point of no return, no backward glances_

_The game we've played, till now are at an end_

_Past all thought of if or when, no use resisting_

_Abandon all thought and let the dream descend_

Um…okay. That was random…Why had that just suddenly pop into her head? It sounded eerily close to what she was experiencing right now as Apollo raked his eyes (so beautiful) hungrily down her figure. Feelings, emotions raged through her blood, taking control of nearly everything. She wanted to lose herself in that wonderful, wonderful gaze of his. Somewhere in her mind she thought she heard a tiny voice squeak out logic.

_Stop! This isn't right! _It yelled. Or tried to at least. Persephone couldn't really hear it, nor did she want to, as a fire so intense consumed her; it felt as if she was burning. She harshly told the idiotic reasoning to shut up.

Now, these thoughts and everything she'd just realized happened in a matter of 30 seconds or so. We all know what Apollo was thinking at the time, but Persephone didn't know. But she had a pretty good idea of what his thoughts were, if his expression was any indication. He had a look of hunger and desire on his handsome features; the intensity of it was shocking and overwhelming for her but then more emotions, if that was possible, sprung out from behind her barriers, pouring through her with minds of their own.

It also didn't help that Apollo kept touching her. Gentle caresses pervaded all judgment and reason. Within her. She couldn't get enough of his tentative strokes.

And or course, to make matters worth (though I believe that is just my and maybe even your perspective, seeing as how the two seemed to be in heaven.), he kissed her. The blundering idiot.

She didn't even try to resist to deny her feelings. She kissed him back. (LOGIC! WHERE ARE YOU? I CALL YOU TO ME! …nothing? Great, thanks for the help. Sorry, back to the story.) Well, I can't really put anymore detail into what our little goddess was feeling just then so I will leave that to your own imagination.

And that's when the damn doorbell rang. (remind me to thank whoever is at the door for this intruding moment. I couldn't possibly be happier that our couple's moment was inevitably ruined. Such a shame, you know? Who, and I mean WHO, would ever even think of doing such a thing? What kind of inexperienced, romantic, horrible person would ever write such a thing? …Ahem…pft, you think I know? Wait! Why are you all staring at me? Look away! Don't look at me!)

"Damn it!" Apollo growled, moving his mouth slightly away from Persephone's.

"Don't answer it. Maybe they'll go away." She mumbled, pulling him back towards her.

As if the person out side heard her, the doorbell rang again.

"Alright, alright!" Apollo grumbled. He rolled off of her and got to his feet, not even breathing the slightest bit hard and acting as if nothing had just occurred. As if he hadn't felt the same as Persephone did: that they had converged into one. It was like a puzzle and they had been perfect fits.

Persephone stared up at the ceiling, dazed at what just happened, and feeling like she was coming down (slowly) from a very buzzed high of emotions. But she soon realized what had just happened and she felt disgusted and dirty with herself. What the hell had that been all about? But, more importantly: What the hell made Apollo think that he could do that to her? What gave him that idiotic thought that he could get her to sleep with him? A rage started to build up inside her and she clenched her fists. She was going to be the shit out of him.

She leaped to her feet, ignoring that stupid reasonable logic that was now telling her she also had played a part in that um…exchange. A very big part, if it remembered correctly. She shoved that to the back of her mind, focusing on the task at hand. Killing Apollo. She wasn't just furious, raged, or outraged.

She was pissed.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

I've kissed a lot of women in my life. And by a lot, I mean _A LOT_. But what else was I, a young, handsome god, supposed to do all those millennia? Sit around and destroy the world? I may not be a womanizer like my father Zeus, but I knew when and how to have fun. So, back to my point, I love women and I love kissing women and I've had a lot of experience in that department, per se. I've also had a lot of great kisses with those women.

But nothing compared to when I kissed Persephone.

Holy Zeus (normally I love and prefer when humans/gods/animals/monsters/titans-well, you get the point-say MY name but, you know, I can't really swear to ME cause that would be just…arrogant. And I myself, dear worshipers and readers, are anything but arrogant. I see you sniggering over there! You. Yeah, you! You with the face! Stop snorting like a pig or I will vanquish you!

-Me (the writer): well, I've got news for you pretty boy. I can erase you from my story and make sure you are never spoken of by any of my followers EVER AGAIN! So, I'd shut up about "threats" if I were you. Now, back to the story.

-Apollo: PITIFUL MORTAL! I WILL-

-Me: SHUT UP!)

Anyways, where did we leave off? Ah yes, where I dramatically exclaimed: HOLY ZEUS! Or was it HOLY Zeus? Or perhaps it was Holy ZEUS! No, no that wasn't it. OH! I remember! It was just plain Holy Zeus. Pretty boring, huh? Well, let's re-do that, shall we? Writer! Work your magic!

Me: only since it will make you shut up and get back to THE ACTUAL STORY!

HOLY ZEUS that woman could kiss…or maybe it was I. Anyways, there was a spark. A spark of heat, a ZING! of passion electrified me and left my lips (quite kissable, might I add) tingling for some reason I have no way of comprehending. We were SO close, damn it! So freaking CLOSE! I could almost feel the moment's presence as it slowly snuck up behind us and filled my body with desire and need.

And the doorbell. That stupid, stupid, STUPID doorbell! I have to remember to disable that thing. It is such a moment ruin-er…thing…yeah.

I went to the front door and peered through the eyehole. A very happy face stared back at me and I could see an annoyed expression on the other person's face.

"Oh APOOOLLOOOOOOO!" the glowing beautiful face called in a singsong voice. "Open UPPPPP!"

I groaned and reluctantly yanked open the door. "Aphrodite, you should stick with ruining peoples' love life because you suck at singing."

Aphrodite struck a mock-pouting face. "Don't you like it, sugar?"

I leaned against the doorframe. "No. And I really hate hearing it from something I despise even more then your horrible singing. You just insult me and the magnificent concept of every style of music when you do what you call 'singing' with your 'melody' and 'tone'." I nodded to the woman behind Aphrodite. "Athena."

The goddess flickered her eyes to me in a vague gesture of acknowledgement. "Apollo."

I glanced back at Aphrodite. She was stunning with long silky black hair and ice-blue eyes, full pink lips, slender legs, curvy figure, and not bad in the chest area either. (I am not going to say anymore because this is already getting awkward. I can write about guys but not girls so much. Heh…imagine Apollo thinking what I just wrote. Ew…my daddy's gay…I hope not.) The slinky blue tank top she wore just added to the picture of beautiful, along with skin-tight jeans and stilettos. She was, in a nutshell, the perfect woman. But looks can be, and are, deceiving.

"What do you want, Aphrodite?" I asked, cutting to it.

She narrowed her eyes. "You missed the meeting. You and Persephone both did." Oh shit. The meeting. Zeus had told us that this meeting was going to talk about moving Olympus to Romania or something. Why, I don't know. Change, I guess. "Which is odd," she continued, oblivious to my thoughts, "because Hades and Demeter were both there, but Persephone wasn't. Persephone never leaves Hades's side. When they were both questioned about where she was, they mumbled indifferent answers. So, do you know what happened to her, Apollo?" She stepped closer and I gulped. But it was a manly gulp; I wasn't, you know, scared or anything. Pft. Me? Scared? Impossible. But even I had to admit she looked pretty damn threatening and furious.

I casually shook my head. "Why would I know anything about Persephone?"

Athena spoke then, staring at me with her sharp gray eyes. "Because you weren't there either. We know you hardly never come to our meetings, which is very unwise by the way." I rolled my eyes. "But Persephone not being there is strange and confusing. So we decided we would try here and just see if you know something…useful." The way she looked knowingly at me with her dry smile creped me out. I turned back to Aphrodite, which wasn't that better as an option.

She smiled coldly. Her voice was sugary-sweet. "So, Apollo. Mind telling us why it took you so long to get to the door?"

I shifted but kept my gaze steady. "I was taking a shower."

"But your hair isn't wet." She observed.

"I didn't wash it." I also didn't like where this was going.

Aphrodite stepped closer and peered at my rumpled clothes. "Uh-huh. Then why are your clothes rumpled and your shirt unbuttoned?"

Crap. "Well…you see, I…I didn't have time to get any clean clothes before you rang the doorbell, so I just shoved my clothes on from today. I didn't finish buttoning it." I shoved my hands in my pockets and smiled arrogantly (But, remember: I'm actually not arrogant. AND STOP GIGGLING YOU WRITER!) .

Aphrodite smiled frostily at me, looking triumphant. She reached out and touched my cheek. "Oh but why then, Apollo, do you have lipstick on your lips and smeared on your cheek?"

I stiffened. She had me and she knew it. She grinned wickedly and whispered so softly I could hardly hear her, "Don't lie to me Apollo. You're the god of truth remember? You suck at pretending and lies, so just come out with it and tell me why you were just making out with Persephone."

Athena was picking at her nails. She glanced up just then and said, "Well, I don't see how I'm needed here any longer and I have work to do. Goodnight to you both." And with that she whisked away.

I stepped back from Aphrodite and glared at her. "I was in no way making out with _Persephone._ Why the Hades would I even touch Hades's wife?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Because you like her."

I snorted. "So? I like a lot of women, that doesn't mean I make out with every one of them does it?"

She arched one perfect eyebrow.

I held up my hands. "Don't answer that. Anyways, I do have some self-control you know. I'm not an animal."

"Self-control my perfect ass." Aphrodite snapped. Yeah, her butt actually was perfect. But I won't tell you how I know that…

"Look," I responded, sighing dramatically. "This is getting us nowhere. I have no idea why Persephone wasn't there, nor do I know where she is, I did not make out with her or even talk to her, I wasn't at the meeting because I was tired of hearing Athena drone on and on in her monotone of a voice, and I really just want to go to sleep. So, this conversation is now over. Goodnight Aphrodite."

She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Stop being in denial Apollo. It gets really annoying."

"No, YOU get really annoying always talking about yourself. God, you are a selfish little bitch, you know that?"

"Bite me." She snapped.

"You wish." And with that I slammed the door in her face. I nodded, satisfied and turned around to go check on Persephone. But I didn't need to, because right in front of me, hands on her hips and standing in defiant stance and glaring daggers at me so intense I froze. If looks could kill, I'd be dead.

Standing in front of me, looking pissed as hell and only just stopping herself from beating the shit out of me, was Persephone.

R&R


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

PERSEPHONE'S POV (but you probably guessed that already.) (OH! AND ONE MORE THING: There shall be no authors notes in between lines of this chapter. I know it irritated some of my reviewers, so here is a non-author note chapter. Enjoy…)

"WHAT THE HELL APOLLO?" the disheveled Persephone yelled at a somewhat nervous Apollo. "WHAT THE FREAKING HELL WHERE YOU FREAKING THINKING?"

Apollo glanced both ways, probably looking for an escape route. Persephone wasn't going to let him escape and run away like the coward he was. She was going to make him hurt. "Answer me." She commanded, her voice flinty.

He looked at her and smiled his stupid grin, trying not to look anxious, but she saw through that mask of ignorance. She knew he was scared, as well he should be. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that as much as I did. I felt you kissing me back. If you really didn't want me to go any further, you would've A.) used your powers to get me off of you, B.) shoved me off of you, of C.) find some way to get me off of you. But did you? Nope. You just let me kiss you and trail my fingertips down your sides…"

Persephone shivered as she remembered his touch. It was so gentle…No. She HAD to stop thinking like that. She was going to demand answers from him and that couldn't be done if she was distracted, even a little bit. Okay, so maybe a bit more then a little. That was beside the point.

"Why?"

He looked confused. "Why what?"

"You know what. Why did you do it?" She demanded.

He looked even more perplexed. "Why did I do what?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT!" She all but shouted that. She was not going to say what this 'what' was for she didn't want to think about it. It was too much right now and she was afraid she would lose herself in the recent memory of his lips on hers and how they felt so right and soft and-

_STOP IT! _She screamed at her brain. _Concentrate on NOW not then. You can think about that later._

Throughout this whole exchange of emotions within herself, Apollo had been looking thoughtful. Finally, he shrugged and said, "Because I wanted to."

She stared at him. "Because you _wanted to?_ Because YOU wanted to? What about what _I_ wanted? Does that just not matter in your world Apollo? DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE ABOUT YOU? YOU IDIOT! YOU ASHOLE! YOU JUST THINK THAT YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, THINK YOU CAN RAVISH A WOMAN WHO HAD NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING WITH YOU, AND THAT MAKES IT OKAY? _BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO?_ DO YOU KNOW HOW LAME AND SORRY THAT EXCUSE IS? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" Her voice had been growing higher and shriller with each word and now she was full out screaming.

Apollo didn't even flinch at the sound of her voice. "You know, you look very sexy when you're angry."

Persephone blinked. That was _not_ what she had been expecting at all.

"Anyway," Apollo continued. "You just said you had no intention of doing anything with me, correct? We are assuming that this woman you mention in your…explosion is you, yes?"

She nodded numbly.

"Correct, indeed. If you had no intention of doing anything, then why did you respond the way you did?"

"I-"

"And why then, dear Persephone, are you not beating me up right now and calling me foul names?

"That's not the point-"

"Oh but it is. You keep telling me you hated what we did. Are you so sure you do hate it?" At this his face grew serious, an expression unbeknownst on the face of the young god who's main form of serious is sarcasm. It unnerved Persephone. He took a step towards her and she automatically took one step back.

"Stay away from me!" She hissed in anger. "You have no right to come towards me after what you did!"

Apollo threw his hands up in frustration. "Why do you keep acting like it was all MY fault? Sure, I kissed you, but did you struggle? No! you put as much passion into that as I did, and you know it. I didn't just kiss you because I wanted to. Oh, of course I wanted to, I have been wanting to since I met you! So yes, I did force that kiss upon you but that's not _why _I did it!"

"Then why Apollo?"

"I did it because-" He abruptly stopped talking.

She raised her eyebrows. "WHY Apollo?"

Apollo bit his lip and shook his head. "It doesn't matter _why_ I did it. What matters is that I hate that you keep blaming me. Like I'm the one who's at fault here."

"You ARE the one at fault here, imbecile!" Persephone angrily ran her fingers through her hair. He was so _dense!_ "You stupid idiot! You know how much I want to beat the hell out of you?"

"Then why don't you?" he shot back. "Go ahead, hit me."

Persephone took a long deep breath, held it, and then exhaled. _Be calm Persephone. _"I will not hit you Apollo. And the only reason I am not going to is because you have let me stay in you palace. I am grateful for that, yes, and it would be rude to attack you while you have been so…" she searched for an adjective to fit. "Forthcoming. In your own strange, absurd way."

He rolled his stormy eyes. "Shut up with your 'reasonable hospitality and manners'. It gets quite exasperating."

_Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and breathe out._ "Well, then you'll be glad to know that I will not be staying here any longer."

He looked shocked. "What?" he spluttered in disbelief. "B-but you have to stay here!"

"I don't _have _to do anything, Apollo."

He narrowed his eyes. "Where will you go?"

She shrugged and waved her hand dismissively. "that does not concern you. I just want you to know that I will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I hope you will be happy with me out of your way." She looked at the ground. "I must go and pack my things." She turned to leave but Apollo caught her wrist.

He looked hurt. "Persephone…"

"Just let it go, Apollo!" she snapped. "Don't pretend you're sorry. I know you're not. You don't care about anyone other then yourself! You're so self-centered and arrogant and egotistical. You are a pathetic excuse for a god and a disappointment to this family." Her eyes burned with hot tears but she would not cry in front of this jerk. She was Persephone, goddess of springtime and she would not show weakness in any form.

Apollo let go of her wrist as if he'd been burned and stepped back, eyes wide and filled with hurt. When he spoke again, his voice was cold and hard. "I can see now why Hades chose Demeter over you. Have fun crawling back on your knees and begging for him to take you back."

Persephone felt as if he'd slapped her. Her mouth dropped open and for the first time in her life, in all the millennia since she had been born, Persephone was rendered speechless. Before she could even try to compose herself, Apollo whirled around and stormed out of the palace, slamming the door behind him.

Persephone fled up the winding staircase that led to her room. She would not cry. She wouldn't. She ran into her room and slammed her door. She slid down the wall and pulled her knees to her chest. Then, almost as if she couldn't stop it, even if she wanted to, Persephone cried. She cried and cried until snot ran out of her nose in an unattractive way and her chest was heaving from sobs.

She cried until she could cry no more. She cried until the pain around her wounded, throbbing heart was had ceased to ache for the time being.

My dear readers, do you know how hard it was to not put in any authors notes? Do you know the self-control it took to tear myself away from such unexplainable thoughts? Do you know what it was like to touch sanity throughout this whole chapter? TORTURE! PURE AGONY! Sanity Is a scary, scary place, my viewers. But I did it for you. I went to great lengths of tragedy to please you! I hope it was enough. (falls into a dead faint on a random couch**)**

And…scene. Good no? see, I am a daughter of Apollo. R&R if you dare…


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

Apollo's POV

I didn't have a heading or any idea what so ever about where I would go after I stormed out of my palace. How dare she! That wicked woman kicking ME from my own palace? Unacceptable! Unexplainable! Inexplicable! Unimaginable! And highly unlikely I would be going back any time soon.

Go ahead call me a coward. Say I'm not a man for running away from Persephone, the goddess of _springtime_-of all things! But I do value my own safety more then my pride sometimes. I DO have my limits, you know.

So, anyways, I was on a path leading to nowhere. You know that famous poem by Robert Frost? The one that says:

_Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-  
>I took the one less traveled by,<br>And that has made all the difference._

Familiar with it? Yes? No? It doesn't matter, because the point is that there are two roads diverged in MY wood. One to go back, summoning up the remaining strands of my wounded dignity and apologize to Persephone, or the other being to just keep walking in some unknown direction. And I, I took the road MOST traveled by…and it was the worst decision I could've ever made.

Now not only was I continuing to lose all sense of direction as I stomped further from my home, but I was also feeling immensely terrible as I wrestled with my guilty conscious in hope to find myself away from everything. Away from Persephone, away from my home, away from my irritable siblings.

But most of all, I willed to find myself away from the horrible decision I had just made…and would regret my entire life.

Sorry, it was short but I just had to write something that would make it mysterious. The next chapter will be from Persephone's POV and how she deals with her own emotions..,

R&R


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine

PERSEPHONE'S POV (But you already knew that.)

Persephone walked silently through the quiet streets of Hollywood. When she always came back to the Underworld, it was winter and mortals were out buying their ridiculous presents for their even more ridiculous holiday. But now, just the beginning of summer, the streets were quiet, ghost-like even. Persephone didn't mind. She actually welcomed the silence that allowed her to think.

She hadn't waited until morning to leave. She hadn't even packed anything to take with her. She just fled. She couldn't bear the thought of waiting till morning to come, perhaps brushing against Apollo on her way to breakfast or sitting through the awkward silence that was sure to ensue.

Now here we find the proud goddess, dressed in a simple white silk dress, her head raised high, a challenging look in her eye that dared anyone to stop her. It was quite strange. Hardly anyone roamed the streets at a time like this, out of fear of being robbed or mugged, or even shot. Perhaps that was why Hades kept his Underworld in L.A; there were sure to be a lot of deaths and murders around here. What better place to collect souls then right under a homicide city?

But back to the story.

Persephone could have easily teleported to the big Hollywood sign, but there was something serene and calming about the night of silence. The stars shone brightly and a full moon glittered overhead and Persephone smiled slightly, remembering fondly of Artemis. Her aunt always held herself tall and proudly, defying men as if it were not a big deal at all. She was starting to envy Artemis's wisdom now. Men really did suck.

She quickly switched her train of thought, in fear that if she thought too much about the Huntress then she was sure to summon memories of her twin brother. And Persephone did _not _want to think about him.

This late walk wasn't turning out to be such as great an idea as she'd hoped. She shook her head and focused on something else instead. The flowers.

The flower buds in the cherry trees were blossoming beautifully in shades of pink and red. Persephone halted and reached up to touch a bud that hadn't quite bloomed as fast as its siblings. She gently felt its petals and it shivered at her tender caress. She felt the warmth of her power flow through her as she gave new life to the flower. Its petals sprung apart and the whole bud grew to the size of her fist, glowing softly in the darkness.

Persephone smiled in adoration and cooed softly to it, "There you go, my sweet. All healthy and grown just like your brothers and sisters." She walked to the trunk of the tree and placed her hand in the center of it. She could feel its heart beating steadily through the wood and she sighed contentedly. "Oh how I wish my life was like yours, dear tree. So full of happiness and wonder, glowing with purpose and beautiful babies. Take care, my dear." She felt the tree shudder and it suddenly seemed to awake from a long sleep. It shook its branches and drew itself tall and magnificent and if some pedestrian had been walking by just then, they would have stopped and beheld a wondrous thing in front of them.

The Cherry Tree reached forward with its gnarled limbs and embraced the goddess as if hugging her. After staying like that for a moment, the Tree gave a soft purr and retreated back to its original position. Persephone's eyes twinkled with magic and love and she kissed her hand and gently placed it in the middle, right on the Tree's heart.

"I know." She whispered to it. "I understand." And with that she continued walking down the road, the one less traveled by and perhaps it might even make all the difference in the world.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

PERSEPHONE'S POV

Persephone steeped into the cold Underworld and looked around. It hadn't changed much, except more souls floated around if they weren't good enough to go into Elysium or whatever else was down there. She suddenly had her doubts about coming here. Sure, Apollo was an ass, but perhaps she could forgive him for what he'd done…

_No. You hate that man and he hates you. That's just the way it is. Go apologize to Hades and forget about Apollo. He doesn't deserve you. _And for once, she actually listened that nagging voice that ceased to shut up.

Oh what a terrible mistake that was.

HADES'S POV

He would never, in a million millennia, have ever guessed that Persephone would come back apologizing-of all things! Hades was, not for the first time, sulking on his iron throne. Even for the god of the Underworld, this was just an all time low. Pathetic even.

Hades was distraught over what he and Demeter had done. Guilt tore at his heart and he felt weak whenever he thought about Persephone. But even in the mist of all those treacherous feeling, he always felt a small thrill of desire and excitement when his thoughts drifted to Demeter and how he remembered all they had done and all they were going to do still. Yes, that's right dear reader. Hades was still going strong with Demeter, despite all the nerve racking, bone gnawing, frame shaking, guilt driven emotions that coursed through him every day. Apollo had been right, reader, that Hades did not love Persephone and how his apology would never be sincere. Of course, these facts had been said out of jealousy and hatred and Apollo had spat them to somehow hurt Persephone for making him feel that way about her. He had no way of knowing just how right he'd been…about everything.

Well, almost everything.

He had no idea that Persephone would actually accept Hades back into her life. Let's watch, shall we?

PERSEPHONE'S POV (**A/N:** **sorry 'bout this continuing of POV changes. This is the last one for this chapter, so read on and do not leave me any reviews about how the POV changed too much. Thank you.**)

She walked up to Hades's palace and vaguely recognized the two guards who we standing in front of the door…well, guarding it. She dimly remembered one of their names and that they'd died in the ocean. Yeah, ht it was. Poseidon had been having a crappy day. Harold Something, she thought.

As she got closer to the door, she could hear the two bickering and saw their features. One was tall and blond and lean, with his right arm missing. He would have been handsome had he not been dead, maimed, and bloody. The second one was much shorter then his companion but made up for it in width. He looked like an Oopa-Loopa without the orange skin.

"...Telling you, I 'idn't cheat at Scrabble! What d'ya think I stuck one of them bloody chips en me hand?" the short one was muttering (quite loudly) to his companion.

"Well, then how'd ya win? Ya suck at that game, and ya always lose, ya do. Ya 'ouldn't win a bloody match if yer bloody life depended on it!" The tall one shot back, looking irritated. Persephone forgot that they were rednecks (no offense to rednecks!) but always said the word 'bloody' in very sentence.

Oopa-Loopa looked furious. "You take that back, our else I'll cut off yer bloody head and tell the Lord to feed it to that 'og 'erberus! Then you'll 'ave ta walks 'round 'eadless and stupid!" He glared at the taller one and the other glared back.

Then, suddenly, they both burst out laughing. The taller one bent over, gasping for breath and the shorter one fell to the ground, clutching his sides and laughing so hard that tears ran down his face.

"Tha' was a good un, Harry!" The blond gasped.

"Tell me 'bout it, Rick! You walkin 'round wit no head and then fallin into tha' river, whatcha-call-it."

"Styx." Persephone said frostily, towering over the fools even though she was a head shorter then the Rick, the tall one. The two men stopped laughing and scrambled to their positions. Harry had to have some help getting back to his feet.

"L-lady Persephone!" Rick stammered. "We 'ought ya left."

"Yes, but I came back." Persephone responded coldly. "Is that a problem?"

Rick gulped and shook his head.

"Good. Now, open the damn doors and let me through. Hurry up, hurry up!" She commanded, glaring at the two.

Before they did though, Harry looked bravely up at the goddess and asked, "If ye don' mind, Yer Highness, would ya please tell us why ya left?"

Everything froze. The souls that were drifting by stopped and stared at the scene in front of them, Rick gasped at his partner's foolishness, and everything held its breath in suspense, waiting for the goddess to respond or blast them both into Tartarus.

Persephone stared stonily at Harry, her face blank and emotionless except for a flash of irritation through her eyes that was the only indication that she was angry with the pitiful mortal. "That," she answered harshly. "Is of no concern of yours human. Open the doors and be grateful I am not vaporizing you right now for even thinking of being so rude and prude to me."

Rick stayed silent. Harry was not so wise. "But why?" he persisted. "Why'd ya leave?"

"IDIOT MORTAL!" she screamed, power radiating off of her. She looked beautiful and stunning, with her black hair flying around her as she used her power to call the trees to her, her green eyes flashing, her dress swirling around her. "YOU SHALL BE THROWN INTO TARTARUS FOR SAYING THAT TO ME!"

Rick whimpered. "Ya've done it now, 'arry." Harry had the dignity to look afraid, very afraid.

"I'm sorry, Yer Highness! I 'idn't mean to say anything to disrespect you!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD'VE KEPT YOUR STUPID MOUTH SHUT YOU IMBECILE!" She boomed. Trees poured from every direction and flowers snapped at the two souls' heels. One weeping Willow lumbered forward, its limbs wilting and leaves falling from the gnarled branches. It was an old tree, older then most and had only been kept alive by Persephone who nurtured it like it was her own sick baby. Now, with Persephone gone for a few weeks, it looked like it was on death's doorstep. Persephone could here its wood creaking painfully and its heartbeat getting weak. Her own heart ached for it. She turned to it.

_Trinter. _She thought sadly. _How are you? _

_Hanging on, my queen. _The old tree sent back. _If only by a thread._

Persephone had the ability to talk to trees if the bond was old enough. She had been taking care of Trinter for more millennia then she cared to count. It was only her magic that kept him going.

_I'm sorry. _She whispered the thought, her eyes growing tender for a split-second as her wrath frightened those around them.

_Me too. _It said. _What can I do for you, my lady?_

_Take these two to Tartarus. They have disrespected me at the highest and I will not stand for it!_

_Then sit. _Trinter teased. _As you wish, my lady. _The old tree moved forward and its roots grasped Harry and Rick, flinging them into the air and onto its branches.

"Wha' the bloody 'ell?" Harry yelled.

"Damn ya Harry!" Rick hollered. "Damn ya to the fiery pits of Tartarus!"

Persephone found them to be slightly amusing, such a shame she had to make them suffer. "You both are being dammed to the 'fiery pits of Tartarus.'" She smiled frostily. "Maybe next time around you will learn to hold your tongue and learn some respect." She watched as Trinter and his family slowly made their way to Tartarus and she felt worry and concern for the old tree.

_Be careful. _She thought.

_Only if you will. _Was the only reply she got.

She heard someone start clapping behind her and she whirled around and froze. There in front of her stood Hades in all his gloomy glory.

He hadn't changed at all, except for a few dark circles under his eyes. Persephone hoped those were caused by her and not a midnight shag with Demeter. He wore a long floor-length cape, black of course, and his muscles were ripped, as usual. She felt disappointed. A few weeks away from him and this was all he could do, a few circles under his eyes? Nothing else?

Hades grinned, if you could call it that. "So, you're back. And managed to get rid of my guards in the first five minutes." He shook his head fondly.

Persephone hid her emotions well. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "I had to. They were rude."

"Of course, of course." Hades said softly. "So, why are you here?"

Persephone couldn't look at him because if she would, she was sure she would flee again. She breathed in deeply. She'd felt his loss in her life as an empty hole with no way of filling it. Now here was her shovel. It was time to start digging. She took another deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "I want to come back." She answered quietly, but firmly.

Hades's eyes grew wide with shock then narrowed with suspicion. "Are you just saying that because you have some trick up your sleeve?"

Persephone looked at her dress. "What sleeve? I have none." She moved closer, her eyes clear. "I want to come back, Hades. We both made mistakes but we can fix them, I know we can! If we try, we'll be able to do this! I'll make amends with my mother and we can all go back to how our lives were before." Except…she didn't think her life would ever be the same after what happened with Apollo. There would always be those polite conversation at the meetings as both of them tried to push out the memories that pervaded their minds, those awkward silences were sure to ensue. But, she felt that if she tried, if she really did try, then everything would be okay again.

Persephone glanced up to see Hades staring at her, still skeptical. She sighed_. Fine, have it your way._ She thought. She slid up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips met his and she softly kissed him. It wasn't anywhere _near _howkissing Apollo had been, oh no not by a long shot. But it still felt good o kiss Hades. It felt…nice. Nice enough for now.

Hades stiffened, but slowly melted into her and kissed her back passionately, all the while thinking of Demeter as he kissed Persephone. But our goddess had no way of knowing the cruel thoughts going through that bastard's head.

For now, she thought he was all hers once again.

R&R This is not the last chapter, obviously and I will try to write more soon!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

**ONE YEAR LATER**

APOLLO'S POV

My heart is aching

Why did I chase her away?

I am so stupid.

I crumpled the pathetic Haiku and tossed it into the overflowing trash bin next to my desk. It was overflowing because of how many crumpled sheets of good paper I'd used up writing these useless Haikus. I figured if I wrote enough, I might be able to get a good one out of my hurt and guilt that pounded through me every day and maybe it would ease the pain up, if only for a few seconds.

It had been a year since Persephone had left my palace and me and went back to that jerk that'd broke her heart. But then again, I guess I wasn't much better. Usually, we Olympians don't feel time pass. What's a year, here and there when you have eons of life to live for? Soon a year turns into five; five turn into a decade, a decade into a century and a century into a thousand. What's the point of counting one meaningless year when you have millennia more floating through? Drifting in a never-ending sea of supposed happiness and joy, with the occasional kill or genocide here and there to liven things up a bit.

But this year, this horrible, horrid, terrible year,

had all but crawled to a stop. The universe had a sick sense of humor sometimes. These days I can hardly get out of bed without feeling that familiar ache in my chest that suffocated me throughout each endless day. Sometimes I would not even get up, just close my eyes in hope of falling back into a dreamless sleep where I could escape the world for a few restful hours. Other times, I would drag my sorry excuse of a butt out of bed, telling myself that today would be different, determined to forget those ruthless memories that burned themselves into my mind and heart, telling myself over and over again that I could make it that I _would_ wake it through this painful sea of loneliness and bitter resentment.

But alas, my ship would sink again and again every time to the very bottom of the deepest cavern in the blackest of oceans. My soul would be lost yet again, set adrift with nothing to cling to, and even Poseidon himself could not save me even if he wanted to.

So every day I stay locked away in my palace writing depressing poetry with a bottle of rum as my only companion, and play my wretched guitar and sing sad and heart-breaking songs. It seems like what I deserve after what went through with Persephone and I. But I cannot, for the life of me, get her out of my head. Then again there isn't really that much left of me, just a broken shell with no soul in it, singing and moaning to no one. So perhaps since there's nothing left to live for, I'm not really trying to forget. Maybe, subconsciously, I know that I should not be torturing myself like this, that it wasn't my entire fault after all. Maybe, deeply buried inside of me, there is forgiveness. Forgiveness of Persephone, forgiveness of Hades, forgiveness of even myself. Maybe. But I don't think so.

Turn back the clock please

So I can get rid of the

Memories inside.

Call me insane, call me crazy, or call me just a stupid idiot who was foolish enough to think that loving Persephone might've actually worked. Call me any or all of those things, and you would be right. I was jealous that Hades was the one to steal her heart while he was a liar who stole much more: Persephone's heart, her innocence, her pride, her love, and her soul and throw it all away like garbage just because he could. It sickens me to even think about it but I do. I torture myself day and night and even in my dreams because I know I deserve it. I know I should not have kissed her or ran her away like I did. But most of all, I should have turned back around that night and raced back to my palace, apologizing and begging from the knees of my heart for her forgiveness. I shouldn't have kept walking on the road most traveled by. I should have swallowed my pride and dignity like a real man would and turned around to take the road less traveled by. Perhaps it would have saved me from losing Persephone. Perhaps it could have made me grow braver and more confident so that I could say, "Persephone, I love you." Perhaps I should've turned back, because it would have saved me from myself, drowning in my grief and sorrow and helplessness.

But I didn't. And that had been the worst mistake I've ever made.

Coulda woulda shoulda. Now everything was a mess with no way of ever being cleaned up.

Perhaps if you stay

I will learn to forgive you

Or maybe myself.

R&R


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

A/N: Hey, Starr here. I just wanted to thank all of you who have been reviewing this story; it makes me so happy every time I see a new one! Also, I would like to say that in a few days I will be leaving the area for a month and so I might not be able to update any of my stories, including this one. I will definitely try, I promise you that! But I just wanted to tell you guys that in case you think I died or something. LOL So, once again, I am sorry if I cannot update but I will try to. Thank you guys so much! I love you all!

Enjoy…

PERSEPHONE'S POV

ONE YEAR LATER: THE UNDERWORLD

She was stupid. She was so, so, so, so stupid. Foolish, idiotic, blind, dense, stupid, crackbrained, insane, anserine, blockheaded, brainless, half-witted, TOTAL IMBECILE! How could she not have seen it coming? She trusted him, she _loved_ him, and yet he goes and cheats _again_! She wanted to kill him. No, not kill him that would be too quick and painless. She wanted him to suffer, to be tortured. She wanted to put him in a windowless room and slowly stab him, purposely missing all vital organs. She wanted him to scream and beg forgiveness as he hung from a rope while being whipped a thousand times. She wanted to feed him, limb by limb, to Cerberus and watch with glee and sadistic joy as he screamed in pain. But most of all, she wanted Demeter to go down with him.

Persephone had trusted her mother when she said that she was sorry and would never do anything like that again. Little did Persephone know just how long they'd been doing what they'd done.

As soon as she walked into Demeter's room, she'd seen them. Hades was on top of Demeter but (thankfully) their clothes were still on. The way he'd caressed her face made Persephone boil with jealousy and hatred.

"So," Persephone had said stonily. "You promise that you'd never do it again, but then you turn around and stab me in the back."

Hades leapt off of Demeter but didn't look the slightest bit guilty while Demeter looked sick, even with her flushed cheeks. "Persephone." Hades replied. "You interrupted us."

Persephone just stared at him, arms crossed tightly over her chest. _Don't show any emotion. Don't show any emotion._ "Fine, carry on then, you bastard. Continue sleeping with my whore of a mother."

Demeter gasped, tears in her eyes. _You shouldn't be the one crying bitch! _Persephone wanted to yell. _I'M the one you hurt, your own DAUGHTER! How could you do something like that? I trusted you with my life and you threw it away like it was nothing! I hate you! _But of course she couldn't say that because then that would be showing emotion. And Persephone would not show any weakness, no mater how much she'd wanted to cry right then.

"Persephone, please! I'm so sorry!" Demeter wailed. She moved towards her but Persephone stepped back.

"Don't touch me, you slut!" She hissed vehemently. "Go back to your pathetic life, I don't care anymore."

Hades stepped forward possessively. "Do not talk to your mother that way!"

She didn't even spare him a glance. She looked right into her mother's eyes saying nothing, yet saying everything. Finally Persephone spoke; her voice was cold, blank, and emotionless. "You are not my mother anymore." She whirled around and ran from the room, ignoring Demeter's calling for her to come back.

So here she was, wandering through the Underworld, searching for her garden. She stepped through the golden gates and looked around. Flowers blossomed everywhere. Lilies, tulips, roses, sunflowers, lavender, and every flower you could think of blossomed with joy. Persephone wasn't crying. She held in her tears and grief and walked slowly through her garden, gently touching petals here and there.

She came to a halt in front of the trees: Cherry, Orange, Banana, Oak, and finally the Willows. She softly crept towards Trinter who had not been getting any better, no matter how hard she's tried. Now the Weeping Willow looked like It was just a ghost of a thought, not even solid. It shimmered in and out of focus, holding on by Its last breath.

As she came closer, the tree creaked alive and turned painfully towards her. _My Queen._ It rasped. Through the bond, Persephone could feel It weakening and dying and she felt distraught that she couldn't do anything to help save It.

_Trinter. _She fell to her knees and looked up at the old Willow, grief-stricken and heart-broken by too many things to count. _Help me. Please_

_I cannot. _Came the sad thought, filled with little strength_. It is almost my time to leave this world and be with the spirits of the other trees. Only you can save yourself. _The trees didn't go to the Underworld when they died, they went to be at peace with the spirits of their kin from long before, wherever that was. Trinter never told her where It would go after he passed through the void of death and life.

_Do you have to go? _Persephone wailed, feeling selfish and childish, but she couldn't help it. She needed someone to hold on to as she drowned in her pain.

She felt Trinter's amusement. _All things must end, my queen. But remember this: Where everything ends, something new begins. _

Persephone felt her walls crumble slightly. _Please._ She whispered softly, the thought trembling. _Please tell me what I should do. Please don't leave me!_

Persephone felt herself become washed in love and fondness, along with sadness and helplessness. _I cannot, dear queen. It is my time to leave you. I have lived a good many millennia serving you, but now I wish to rest at last. Can you understand that?_

Persephone knew her brave warrior was right and she felt selfish and guilty thinking of herself while Trinter clearly needed to move on. She'd done all she could, but now it was time to leave the tree in the Fates' hands. She got to her feet and walked towards Trinter, placing her hands on what was left of the tree. She touched the center of Its trunk and took a deep breath. Centering herself, she let the soothing magic flow from her soul into the tree's. _I hope you find peace wherever you go, dear old friend. I will never forget you. I love you._

_Thank you, my queen. I will always remember you. I love you. _The thought was so soft and distant, Persephone could hardly catch it before it slipped from her grasp and floated away. The old tree sighed contentedly and was still.

Persephone stiffened as she felt something gentle caress her cheek but soon realized it was a spirit not Hades or a soul. She opened her eyes and thought she saw a shimmering glow before it vanished into nothing.

_Goodbye Trinter._ She called knowing the tree was already long gone, making Its way into a new life and a new adventure.

Persephone gasped and fell to her knees as she felt for the first time the emptiness in her soul for the loss of her friend. Her walls fell and her logic crumbled as the tears spilled from within her, cascading down her pale cheeks in a never-ending waterfall. _Only you can save yourself._ She knew Trinter was right. But she didn't think she wanted to save herself. She felt, for the first time in her life, the want-no, the need-to die. To end this terrible suffering and pain.

But if she died, then she would be stuck down here for the rest of eternity. And there was no way she would let that happen.

Furiously wiping the hot salty tears from her face, she ran from the garden, and while she ran she killed all the flowers and trees in it. She didn't want anything of her to be left down here, or even be remembered. She summoned up all her power and shot it throughout the entire Underworld, murdering all the nature life forms that had begun ever since Hades had taken her down there.

She erased all signs of ever living there, knowing she would never come back and realizing that Hades wouldn't even want her back. Well, that was fine by her. She had someone she needed to see, anyway.

Persephone flew through the Underworld, all the while cursing Hades and Demeter to the very depths of Tartarus. She exited out of the Hollywood sign and magically teleported herself to the one and only place she could think of.

Apollo's palace.

R&R


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen

APOLLO'S POV

-Reality sucks

How did my life get like this?

What the hell happened?

-Wishful thinking is

So freaking overrated

I hate my damn life.

-Kiss me hard and fast

So I might be able to

Wash away the pain.

-Hatred cannot form

From this illusion of lust

We figured we'd had.

-Seeing you brings back

The painful memories I

Thought were washed away.

-Please help me get free

Of these chains that bind me to

Your transcending love.

-Every time we touch

My heart starts breaking over

And over again.

-Lust at first sight is

What I felt when I met you.

I wish I hadn't.

-You screwed me over

More than once, yet I still came

Back looking for more.

-Seeing you hurts me

It kills me from the inside

Yet I still love you.

-Did you hear that crack?

That was my heart breaking and

It was all for you.

-Appreciate not

Everything I have given

From my deepest soul.

-Your eyes swirl with heat

But I know that I cannot

Ever be with you.

-Listen to me now

And please just remember us

And the things we shared.

-Leaving you is the

Hardest thing I've ever done.

No, loving you was.

-Forgive and forget

They do not seem hard to do.

I can't do either.

-Sing for me angels

And comfort me with you choir

So that I may rest.

-Life used to be full

Of endless things I could love

Then you came along.

-Catch me as I fall

But knowing you, you will just

Let me crash and burn.

-Love used to be full

Of such opportunity.

But then I met you.

-If I could turn back

All the shit that has happened,

Don't you think I would?

-They say that time heals

All the wounds we make…but still

The scars never fade.

R&R please. This was just a chapter of Haikus about how Apollo is feeling. I had writers block and I wanted to write something before I left. HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT! It's not over, of course. I love poetry (Duh, I'm a daughter of Apollo!) so I just decided what better way to summarize Apollo's…er, _manly_ feelings then by poetry and Haikus? LOL Thanks to you all again who reviewed and I will try to write again whenever I can! LOVE YA!

Peace out!

~Starr


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen

**Hey, Starr here! I'm typing this on a computer at the library cause that's the only way I can update any of my stories. LOL I apologize for the delay but I hope this makes up for it! This is also from Apollo's POV again because a surprise guest comes in at the end...guess who…LOL anyways, on with the chapter.**

APOLLO'S POV

You could hardly call it living, what I was doing. I did what you have to do to survive: ate, pooped, peed. But mostly I slept. And plucked pathetically at my guitar but that's not the point. I knew I was already lost on the road of depression and pretty soon if I didn't stop myself, I would be forever lost in its winding turns and gruesome flashes of memory that I so desperately wanted to escape. But I couldn't seem to find the exit. I didn't think I wanted to though, exactly. I know this seems utterly pitiful but I can't help it. Go ahead and call me whatever name pleases your malicious humor, I could hardly care.

As I strum the strings on my wretched guitar now, I feel the vibrations of sound shimmer through the air. I so desperately want to write a song, but I can't seem to find the words to it. Correction, I had the words but I just couldn't fit them together. I'd _never_ had trouble writing a song in my life. Those sadistic goddesses! They will be the death of all of us, I swear it!

Broken…spoken…nothing seemed to fit! It was like I was trapped inside a never ending maze of puzzle pieces that could never be completed. I'd never liked puzzles. They took too much time and focus and effort when I could be oh, I don't know, wilting away down the road of despair and depression? Yes that sounded about right.

Through my haze of memory, I thought I distinctly heard a knocking at the front door. I was wondering why they couldn't just ring the doorbell when I dimly recalled disabling it. Wow, what a stupid move on my part.

I tried to ignore the ceaseless knocking but it seemed to grow ever more abrupt and irritating. It almost seemed as if it were…_mocking_ me. The NERVE of it! How dare it mock me. ME! The great Apollo god of the sun!

_Ha-ha-ha! _It laughed ferociously. The ringing of it kept increasing in volume and I covered my ears to try to block it out.

Holding my head in a vain attempt to ease the throbbing inside, I stormed to the front door and yanked it open so hard and wildly that the hinges squealed in pain and the door rattled and moaned.

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP UP THIS INFURIATING KNOCKING?" I yelled at the person outside. I knew I had a wild and crazy look about me, not to mention that I smelled like the inside of a rum bottle.

Suddenly, like a shock of electricity, I finally focused enough to recognize who stood before me. The woman I had least expected to see-well, actually the _second_ least person I expected to see-stood with her hands on her hips and raised a brow at me.

"Hello Apollo." She said, her voice vibrant. The twelve-year-old girl who stood almost a head shorter then me, smiled up at me.

Stunned into silence, mouth gaping open like a fish, I gasped and tried to form a sentence. Finally, I was able to actually speak but my voice was a croak when I spoke again.

"Little sister?"

TA-DA!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen

Hey all! I have finally returned to my home and I know it's late but I just HAD to write something! Expect a lot of new chapters soon! Love ya! Enjoy.

ARTEMIS'S POV

"Honestly Apollo, must you always claim to be the older one? It is so unnecessary and absurd, not to mention sexist. Why does the male _always_ have to feel like the dominant one of the party? You men are so full of testosterone you reek of it. Arrogant and ignorant, the lot of you! I swear men will one day ruin the world, mark my words Apollo!" Artemis had repeated this lecture so many times even she was starting to see the dullness and blankness of it. She sounded like Athena at the meetings, droning on and on about wisdom and self-righteousness and blah, blah, blah.

Apollo stood in front of her, looking drunk out of his mind and pale beyond complexion. The dark rings that circled just beneath his hollowed eyes gave him the image of a dying soul, an empty shell. To say the least it was not a very flattering image.

"What's happened to you?" Artemis asked, her eyebrow furrowing. "You look like you've just been run over, sawed in half and sewn back together, eaten by a lion and then spat back out. You almost look ready to visit Hades. I'm sure he would approve of this…makeover that you're trying."

Her brother suddenly came back to life and glared vehemently at her. "What are you doing here Artemis? It's not a good time." He growled.

"Why, you don't look much different from all the other times I've seen you. Actually, it's quite an improvement in my opinion." That wasn't true of course. He looked absolutely horrible and Artemis worried for him. The sun hadn't shone brightly in _months_ and that scared her. She'd just figured it was another woman who'd broken up with him and he would have a few days or weeks to mope it off and then get back on his feet. This apparently wasn't the case at all. "What's happened to you Apollo?" she murmured quietly.

Apollo looked away and shrugged. "Nothing, I'm fine."

Artemis scoffed. "Yes I see you've been just great from your appearance. Come on Apollo, out with it."

"Why are you here?" he questioned. "You never come here. You've never even been here before so why now, of all times?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Because everyone is worried for you since the sun hasn't been to its fullest and you haven't been to one meeting in a year. A _year,_ Apollo. Not one of us has ever missed so many for so long."

Apollo's dull eyes flickered back to her and she thought that she saw a glimmer of his old mischief in those far away irises. A ghost of his old cocky grin shone on his face. "Why, little sister." he teased, once again ignoring her previous lecture. She couldn't say that she blamed him; of course she would never admit to that out loud. "are you perhaps hinting that you miss me?"

She snorted. "Wow, talk about ego-alert. No I would never miss _you_." Except…she did. She missed his easy grin and funny jokes. Sure, he got super annoying most of the time and they were known to squabble but hey, that's what twins did. She really and truly missed him. Wow. What had happened to the world recently?

That old trace of him vanished and he once again became the still and aloof shell who didn't have anything to live for. The mask of unfamiliar was back in its place and he frowned. "What are you doing here Artemis?" he asked again.

"What, a sister can't come and visit her brother every once and a while?" she retorted.

Apollo stared at her, waiting for an answer. Reluctantly she sighed and gave in. "I'm here because I was worried about you."

He leaned forward and tilted his head. "what was that? I didn't quite hear you."

Artemis scowled. "You know what I said so don't make me repeat it. I came by to see if you were still here or if you had disappeared."

He looked confused. "Disappeared? Why would I disappear?"

"Look Apollo, all of us know there's something wrong with you and that you are seriously down in the dumps. You haven't talked to any of us in months and we lost all contact with you. I figured there was one place we hadn't looked yet so I came over here." She stepped closer, worry in her eyes. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

Apollo once again looked away, his gaze drifting in and out of focus. "I'm fine." He mumbled gruffly.

Artemis made a face. "You're the god of truth, brother. You're a terrible liar. So I'm going to ask you again, one more time. What is going on?"

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out. He looked down at the ground and his vision blurred. He shook his head.

Artemis sighed and stepped back, disappointed. "I thought you could trust me enough to tell me what your problem is, brother. Evidently I was wrong. But if you ever want to talk about it, just call for me. Until you find the courage to face your fears, you shall fight against your demons on your own. I'm sorry." She turned away and began to walk down the driveway.

"Wait!" Apollo called. She stopped and looked back at him.

"What?"

He struggled to form his thoughts into a sentence. "C-can't you just…can't you just understand?

She raised her eyebrows. "How can I understand when you haven't explained?"

"I…just don't know…" he cried. "I just don't know how to explain. Don't leave yet!"

Sadly, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Apollo." She repeated quietly as she walked away.

"_Please!_" he wailed.

Artemis continued on her way, ignoring her brother calling for her. He needed to confront his emotions alone. That was the only advice to give him. Until he did, he would never be whole. She remembered reading somewhere: _We are not whole until we are broken._ That was true. She loved Apollo but she couldn't help him anymore.

He had to become whole on his own.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

NOBODY'S POV

_ XXBeautyloverXX has logged on_

_Athena'sWisdom __has logged on_

**XXBeautyloverXX: **hey, u there?

**Athena'sWisdom: **I am here. Where is everyone else?

_VirginMoonlight __has logged on_

_Stormbringer983 __has logged on_

**XXBeautyloverXX: **that answer ur question?

**Stormbringer983: **u 2 fighting again?

**VirginMoonlight: **Honestly it gets sooo annoying.

**XXBeautyloverXX: **we r NOT fighting, if u must no.

**Athena'sWisdom: **What is it with people using text language? Honestly, you people are getting stupider buy the second.

**VirginMoonlight: **O' Wise One, we r so srry! Plz let us make it up 2 u by worshiping u 4ever! (Mock bow)

_Zeus'sbabe4ever __had logged on_

_I'llkillyouifIwant2 __has logged on_

**Athena'sWisdom: **Oh, shut up Artemis! This argument is none of your business!

**Stormbringer983: **actually Athena since u r writing on this IM wall 4 all of us 2 c, it is kinda our business.

**Athena'sWisdom: **Oh shut it you stupid sea urchin!

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **hey baby, wassup?

**VirginMoonlight: **ugh barf.

**XXBeautyloverXX: **nothin handsome, u?

**Stormbringer983: **YOU TAKE THAT BACK ATHENA!

**Athena'sWisdom: **Finally you stopped talking in text language!

**Zeus'sbabe4ever: **Is this all you people do on here?

**VirginMoonlight: **pretty much.

**Zeus's babe4ever: **wow.

_Cerealcleansesthesoul has logged on_

**XXBeautyloverXX: **nice pen name Demeter.

**Cerealcleansesthesoul: **Thank you, Aphrodite.

**XXBeautyloverXX: **sarcasm babe, sarcasm.

**VirginMoonlight: **I have a question. Why are we even on here? Why do we have to have the meeting online in a stupid chat room instead of in the Throne Room like usual?

**Zeus'sbabe4ever: **Because, Zeus feels the need to get into technology for some unknown reason. My little Zeusy Bear!

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **excuse me while I go barf.

**Zeus'sbabe4ever: **shut it, Ares.

_Deadsouldrifting has logged on _

**Cerealcleansesthesoul: **Hades!

**Deadsouldrifting: **Demeter! No one types

**VirginMoonlight: **since when have u 2 been so eager 2 c each other?Deadsouldrifting: who says we were eager?

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **it was pretty obvious, dude.

**Deadsouldrifting: **do not call me a dude!

**XXBeautyloverXX: **touchy, touchy.

**Stormbringer983:** where is my bro? he's the 1 that called this meeting.

**Athena'sWisdom:**I don't know but what I do know is that this is getting very tiresome.

**VirginMoonlight: **how so?

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **I luv u!

**XXBeautyloverXX: **luv u more!

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **luv u the MOST!

**XXBeautyloverXX: **no, I luv U the most!

**VirginMoonlight: **OK we get it u both luv each other a lot now can u bothe PLZ stop?

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **NO I luv U the most!

**Stormbringer983: **somebody shoot me.

**Athena'sWisdom: **Pow, you're dead.

**Stormbringer983: **-_- not funny.

**Deadsouldrifting: **I swear if u 2 don't SHUT UP…

**Cerealcleansesthesoul: **this is rlly starting 2 get on my nerves.

**XXBeautyloverXX: **aw, ur so sweet!

**I'llkillyouifIwant2: **ur sweeter!

**XXBeautyloverXX**: no U r!

**Athena'sWisdom: **Ugh, spare me.

**Deadsouldrifting: **getting eaten and torn apart by Cerberus is probably less painful then this.

**Stormbringer983: **y don't u go test that theory 4 us bro?

**Deadsouldrifting: **shut up Poseidon. Quit acting like ur so special.

**Stormbringer983: **wait, wait, wait. Ur talking 2 me about bragging? wat about u?

**Deadsouldrifting: **wat about me?

**Cerealcleansesthesoul: **u 2 need 2 eat more cereal!

**Everyone types: **ENOUGH WITH THE CEREAL!

**VirginMoonlight: **if Zeus doesn't get here soon, I'm leaving.

**Athena'sWisdom: **Right behind you.

_Kingofthesky __has logged on_

**Stormbringer983: **FINALLY! About time u got here.

**Kingofthesky: **I will take as long as I want Poseidon.

**VirginMoonlight: **so, y did u call this meeting? Online of all places?

**Kingofthesky: **because I wanted to. Do any of you have a problem with that?

Nobody types

**Kingofthesky: **Good. Now, is everyone here? Except for Apollo?

**XXBeautyloverXX: **Hephaestus isn't here cause he said he was rlly busy and all.

**Kingofthesky: **No matter. Anyone else missing?

**VirginMoonlight: **hey, wait. Where's Persephone?

Nobody types

**Kingofthesky: **Demeter? Hades? Where is she?

**XXBeautyloverXX: **I think I know.

**Stormbringer983: **well?

**XXBeautyloverXX: **why don't you ask Demeter and Hades?

_Cerealcleansesthesoul __has logged off_

_Deadsouldrifting __has logged off_

**Kingofthesky: **anyone care to explain what that was about?

Nobody types

**XXBeautyloverXX: **well, I'm gonna go.

_XXBeautyloverXX __has logged off_

_I'llkillyouifIwant2 __has logged off_

**Kingofthesky: **WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT APOLLO!

**VirginMoonlight: **I tried to talk to him but he needs to figure out what's wrong on his own.

**Stormbringer983: **well, in that case, I'm out. Peace!

_Stormbringer983 has logged off_

_Athena'sWisdom has logged off_

**Zeus'sbabe4ever: **C'mon babe, everyone's left let's just go.

**Kingofthesky: **Are you sure we can't help him? Do you know what's wrong with him?

**VirginMoonlight: **No, we can't help him.

**Kingofthesky: **ok then. Let's go Hera.

_Kingofthesky __has logged off_

_Zeus'sbabe4ever __has logged off_

_VirginMoonlight __has logged off_

Artemis quickly shut down the computer so that Zeus didn't log back on and ask her why she avoided answering his second question.

**So, did you guys like it? Yeah, it was kind of pointless but hey, I was bored. Anyways, as you can see, Artemis has put two and two together about Apollo and Persephone's absence. Read and review!**

**~Starr**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen

Hello my lovely readers! I just want to apologize for the last chapter. One: I am sorry I forgot Hermes. Two: I am sorry if I didn't put enough detail in it and didn't elaborate. And three: I am sorry, but you will have to read this chapter if you want to find out the meaning of the last one. Terrible, aren't I? Well, you'll live.

Read, enjoy, and review if you please.

PERSEPHONE'S POV

She was scared. Horribly and utterly terrified. She hated it, oh how she hated that fear that consumed her. She didn't want to be afraid she shouldn't have to be. She was the great Persephone, for Zeus' sake! She had never known fear such as this before, and she despised it with all her being.

Shattered, broken, and alone-so, so alone- she made her way to his palace. Tears flowed steadily down her pale cheeks, her hollow eyes staring at everything, but seeing nothing. All she knew was that she had to see him. She had to hear his voice, to look into those magnificent eyes that she'd missed for too long. She needed him to hold her and heal the ache that pounded through her betrayed heart, because she knew that only he could do it. Only he could soothe her tears with his gentle hands and whisk the words that had cut her so deep, away.

Thunder rumbled above her and she didn't even notice when the rain started pouring down on her, soaking her to the bone. She didn't care, why should she? It was only water. It wouldn't hurt her.

She carried onwards with her shoulders hunched and shaking, hands limp at her sides, and silent sobs escaping from her broken heart. She had never been brought so low in all of her existence.

She loathed it. Anger coursed through her and her hands shook with fury and she glared up at the sky. Rage bubbled in her stomach and her heart pounded inside of her. How dare them, every last one of them. Curse them all into oblivion and more, damn them to the fiery pits of Tartarus, and shatter all their souls into the nothing. Smash their hearts and stomp on them, cut them hard and hurt them deep, hear their pain and grief and have no mercy on any. Watch them cower in fear and cackle with mad glee because they would now know how she felt. How she still feels.

Suddenly, those emotions disappeared, the rage and fury vanished leaving her feeling empty and without a soul. She sagged in defeat and dropped to her knees. She could never do that to any of them. She would never hurt them like that. It just wasn't her.

She held her face in her hands and sobbed. The wall she had put up exploded from all the emotions inside of her. Sadness wound its way through her veins, pain screamed its way into her blood, pity flowed softly inside of her, sorrow pursued at a much faster pace, heading in all directions. But the one that went straight for her heart, the one that hit home, the one that knocked the breath out of her was this:

Regret.

Regret over being so stupid, going back to Hades when she knew nothing would change, regret at not meaning enough to her mother so that she would stop her sneaking around, regret and sorrow at not being there for Trinter.

But what she regretted so, so much was when she had run away from Apollo that night a year ago. If she had stayed, things would be different. If she hadn't fled she would be happy and loved. And in return, she would have loved him back.

She loved him, blunt and simple as that. She loved the way he looked at her as if she was the only thing in the world, in the entire universe; as if she shone as brightly as the sun and stars combined. The feeling of his voice caressing her skin was as smooth as silk and as heavy as velvet. (**A/N: Yeah, it's a bit of an Aphrodite moment but I'm feeling extra romantic today. LOL**)The simple pleasure of being in his mere presence was unworldly, and yet she cherished every single minute of it.

She had always, in a way, known she loved him.

The signs were there: the fluttering of her heart when he flashed her that charming smile of his, the _flip-flop_ of her pancake of a stomach when he gazed at her with those stormy irises. Even when he was annoying, she still liked it. The signs had all been there, but she just chose to ignore them. The signs didn't say STOP or YIELD or even SLOW DOWN YOU FOOL! No, they had all said things like GO, LOVE, and _KISS_. She blundered past all of the warning signs and straight for the goal. She didn't bother to guard her heart properly and so, here she was: kneeling in the middle of nowhere and bawling her eyes out.

But she couldn't stop. She removed her hands and stared through the pounding rain and into the dark, swirling clouds. It seemed as if Zeus was mimicking exactly how she felt. A confused, silent mass that cried out in pain and fear. (**A/N: VERY dramatic. LOL**)

As quick as the bolt of lightning that illuminated the vast sky, Persephone a shock of such force it knocked her breath away.

What was she _doing_? She was on her _knees_ for goodness sake! She had _never_ thought she would succumb to this! She the all powerful goddess could never in a million millennia be seen in this most vulnerable, pathetic state. Oh no she could not!

Driven by a sudden force of determination, she pushed herself to her feet and unsteadily began forward.

The thunder roared overhead, the lightning cackled with rage, and the torrential downpour pounded the soaked ground with its vibrant force. Persephone took a wobbly step forward and then she found her balance even with the water pounding her into the wet earth. She continued on with her head held high, her shoulders thrown back in determination.

Soon, the crying came to a stop and the only water that slid down her face was the rain and tears from the open and dark sky that raged above her.

()()()()

The outline of it was illuminated from the silver moon that peeked from between the clouds. The silhouette outlined the now calm sky, towering menacingly and threateningly before her; it exposed a demeanor of hostility and aggression and it sent goose bumps to trail along her skin. The roof jutted into the sky in a ragged appearance, the windows glared at her in anger, and the brass door stood before her in a terrifying reality. It reminded her of something she'd seen mortals read about in their pointless 'fairytale' books: a castle, if she recalled correctly. A palace of harsh attitude and eldritch (which means eerie and spooky and creepy all at once) phenomenon, howling winds that echoed throughout the haunting corridors.

She shivered, and not because she was wet and cold but because of the silence and the way that everything stilled and held its breath. She inhaled deeply and slowly raised her hand to the knocker. She pulled back slowly and then released it.

_THUMP!_ you could hear the sound from a mile away probably.

She stood stiff and scared in front of the door. _What had she done?_

A loud banging could be heard from inside and then a curse. Suddenly, a wild, deranged man pulled open the door and glared at her with empty, crazy eyes.

"I TOLD YOU I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT-" the man stopped in his rant and stared in dumbfounded disbelief at the last woman he'd ever expected to be on his doorstep. "Persephone," he finished softly, his voice barely audible to her.

She had no idea who this man was at first, what with his thin hair, filthy clothes, and in desperate need for a shave. That was, until he looked at her and made her forget that she had to exhale.

No matter how much they had changed, no matter how hollow they were…there was no mistaking those iridescent, stormy blue irises.

She had found him.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter eighteen

** I am so sorry to say that this is the LAST CHAPTER of this story! Author's note will be at the bottom so for now, enjoy.**

**~Starr **

()()()()

APOLLO'S POV

I knew I was doomed to a life of eternal loneliness and pain, never feeling completely whole. Or at least, I _thought _I knew. I think it is now safe to say that not all my ideas and thoughts are indeed true. Shocked, right? Yeah, so am I. I still swear to this day that the Fates had conspired against me with Aphrodite to plot my pathetic love life and weave an intricate pattern of pain, loneliness, sorrow, pain, emptiness, and did I mention pain? But that's just my perspective.

Back to the topic at hand, you can imagine how I felt when I opened the door to see Persephone standing there soaked to the bone, shivering, her red-rimmed eyes staring fearfully at me. Think about a time when you were in love with a person but then you two abruptly drift apart and you don't see each other for a whole YEAR until she (or he, of course) suddenly turns up on the doorstep of your impressive palace (er, mansion) looking distraught and terrified and beautiful (Ahem, or _handsome_) all at once and you look in relation to a run over cat who is still alive but then is chewed up by a dog and then vomited up. Okay, now imagine that feeling but multiplied by ten. Yeah, that's how I felt. Pathetic isn't it?

To say I was stunned would be the understatement of the millennia. I was dumbfounded, shocked, and flabbergasted all mixed into one bowl of soup and sprinkled with some disbelief to top it all off. Not to mention the joy and happiness that flowed through me, quickly extinguished by the uncertainty and confusion of it all. It was a very awkward situation.

As I said earlier, she was beautiful. Her cotton dress was actually the same one she had worn when she had left me. Kind of ironic huh? She was dripping wet and I am proud to say that I did not notice and stare at the way it clung even more to her slender body. Well…not much anyway. I may have glanced once of twice…or five times, but who's counting? Anyway, her normally gentle eyes blazed with a fire that I've never seen before on her. Her stance was determined and her (perfect) mouth was set in a defiant line. She looked radiant, brighter then the sun-and that's coming from me.

I'd love to say that our eyes met and we each knew that the other was sorry and then we kissed and lived happily ever after for millennia to come.

THE END!

Uh…no.

Suffice to say that we didn't exactly throw ourselves at one another, desperately trying to rip the other's throat out and kill each other either.

We just kind of…stared…

and stared…

and stared…

I swear my eyes are dry now for even thinking about not blinking for that long. Hey. Thinking and blinking rhyme! See, I AM the god of poetry!

(Everyone who reads this story: Well, you're not very good at it.)

So, back to our staring contest. Neither of us blinked, not wanting to lose and back down from the challenge that reflected in both of our eyes. And then finally, FINALLY the staring came to and end.

Cause then we started glaring. (Hey, glaring and staring rhyme too!)

Well, _she_ started glaring. _I _on the other hand was still trying to remember how to breathe and blink. Breathe and blink, breathe and blink. I guess at some point I did recall how to start doing both of those things, because my chest was starting to hurt from lack of oxygen and my eyes were starting to get kind of burry around the edges.

We stood in silence for about maybe ten minutes or so. Finally, I found my voice but it sounded like a toad instead of a human-er, Olympian.

"Wha…?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from not talking for so long and of course from the total randomness of the whole situation. Great conversation starter huh? 'Wha…?' Wow, one of my best yet.

Persephone crossed her arms over her chest and stopped glaring. Now she looked at me with sadness and regret written all over her pretty face.

"A-Apollo?" she whispered. She took a step backwards as if the force of my presence made her stumble. I usually get that reaction when people see me, what with my good looks and charming personality, but this time she looked frightened and terrified instead of breathless with awe.

I actually felt the same way, although I would never admit it to anyone. Instead of a racing heart like I should've been experiencing, my very vital organ slowed to almost a snail's pace: _Thump…thump…(Pause) thump._ It was as if my broken heart was waiting expectantly to see what would happen, it couldn't stop altogether so this was as close as it could come to halting.

To this day I don't really know what I felt that night. My emotions were all jumbled together and there seemed to be a strange haze over them, as if it was blocking and protecting them from the prodding of my mind. Or maybe I just don't want to remember at all. Perhaps I'm not trying hard enough to find out; maybe I just don't want to.

I also couldn't read the things that flickered over Persephone's features either, although I think a few were uncertainty, joy, and wariness. But I don't really know because she still doesn't tell me when I ask her. Not that I've told her how I felt either. It's kind of like we have a silent agreement on it, almost like we don't want to recall the horrible tension we both felt that night.

The tension that was so thick you could cut it with a fork…or was it: eat it with a knife? Whatever, it's unimportant.

What is important is what I thought as our eyes met. A single sentence drifted into focus through my hazy mind.

_I love you._

Three words. Three syllables. A lifetime of certainty.

It was true, what I thought. I _did_ love Persephone, I always had. I just hadn't known I did until I saw pure affection and tenderness in her glowing irises and I knew mine held it as well. I might not remember my other feelings on that dark and misty night, but I know that I will always remember that.

Amongst all the shock of finding _that_ plus the earlier part out, I did the only thing a (almost) sane man can do when he is in a situation of such irony.

I kissed her.

I loved her.

I love her now.

Always and forever.

Persephone and Apollo.

Three words. Eight syllables. A life of love.

A story that started of as the end but somehow managed to begin after it all was over.

()()()()

**And **_**voila**_**! There you have it, the last chapter of Cheaters don't lie. I loved writing this, but I loved all the reviews you guys gave me more! Thanks to all of you who stayed with me and these two from the very first word, you don't know how grateful I am to everyone who encouraged me to finish. Thank you so, so much.**

**I love you all.**

**Four words. Four syllables. A lifetime of gratefulness.**

**~Starr **


End file.
